06 June 2010

Pinoy's fanaticism for Guinness

Such activities like playing music on a leaf, crafting a 5.5 meter-long shoe, meeting for a 30-minute aerobics exercise, eating 350 chilies in three minutes, and cooking 1,001 meter-long barbecued milkfish (bangus), pork, chicken, vegetables and cold cuts have enlisted the Philippines to the Guinness World Records.

This year, some students from Pasay City performed tinikling during the Pasinaya 2010 in the hope that they would be hailed for having ‘the most number of tinikling pairs’. Daniel Razon, dubbed as Mr. Public Service in Good Morning, Kuya! on UNTV 37, has spearheaded a number of welfare projects for indigent citizens (such as free medical and dental checkups, free land transportation for senior citizens, free legal consultations, free college program, and free “Transient Home”). These events were entered for ‘having a large number of participants’.

Deserving an acknowledgment from the Guinness World Records is quite difficult. Their applicants join at their own risk and expense. The proposals should also be ‘breakable, measurable and comparable’. Currently, the person who holds the most number of Guinness feats is an American. Ashrita Furman, has recorded some 110 Guinness records, one of which is having ‘the most current Guinness World Records held at the same time by an individual.’

Striving for something inspires. Especially if what one’s doing calls for cooperation and national pride. I just do not like it when the reason is disguised into fame. Suddenly, the Guinness World Records has become an excuse to be unimaginative and unproductive when all it aims is to set records straight.